Background
Ball, Samuel was born on January 9, 1933 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
psychologist educational administrator
Ball, Samuel was born on January 9, 1933 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
His early education included time spent at Canterbury Boys" High School.
His initial qualification for teaching came from Balmain"s Teachers College. Early in his career, he taught in a primary school in Sydney, before finishing his Sydney University Arts degree at night, and leaving for the United States for further study. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy at University of Iowa, and went to New York where he worked at the Teacher"s College, Columbia University.
He was employed by ETS (al Testing Service) in Princeton, New Jersey where he conducted research and carried out several major program evaluation studies, before returning to Australia where he held a number of positions including adjudicator for the game show Sale of the Century. During his career he authored many books At ETS, Ball conducted what are today considered classic evaluations of the impact on learning of children"s educational television, studying the effects of first, Jim Henson"s Sesame Street and then The Electric Company for Children"s Television Workshop.
In 1978, he left ETS to assume a professorship at the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
While at Sydney, from 1979 to 1984, Ball was editor of the American Psychological Association"s Journal of al Psychology, the preeminent scholarly publication in the field of learning sciences. Positions held: Senior Research Psychologist, al Testing Service c.
1968-1978 Professor of, University of Sydney 1978-1993 Chair of Academic Board, University of Sydney 1988-1991 Pro-Vice Chancellor (Community Affairs), University of Sydney 1991-1993 Chief Executive, Victorian Board of Studies 1993-1999 Professorial Fellow, Melbourne University 2000-2003 Ball was the original adjudicator for Sale of the Century as it aired for the first time in Australia in 1980. He would write the questions and producers would pick questions they liked and card them for airing.
In close decisions Tony Barber would ask "Professor Sam" to adjudicate.
Consultancy work was completed for the United Nations in Africa and the Philippines.
Chair New South Wales Childrens Week Committee, Sydney, 1982-1986. Fellow American Psychological Association (chairman council of education 1983-1984). Member Australian Association for Research in Education, American Education Research Association.
Son of Joseph Patrick and Sarine (Jacobs) B. Divorced; children: Catherine, John, Pamela, David. Married Marita Joan MacMahon, September 29, 1979.
Children: Rachel, Simone.